The Construction of Teachers' Paradoxical Interests by Teacher Union Leaders

Abstract

In this case study, the author examines (1) bow leaders construct the relationship between teachers' self-interests and teachers' broader educational interests and (2) the internal and external factors that influence how teacher union leaders pursue union interests. Union leaders, construct variable paradoxical relationships between teachers' self-interests and broader educational interests. The various perspectives are examined using Ford and Backoff's framework of paradox construction (Ford, J., & Backoff, R. (1998). Paradox and transformation: Toward a theory of change in organization and management ) Findings indicate that most union leaders.focus on a dialectic relationship between economic welfare and professional development, which they believe leads to education quality. Long-term, moral purposes related to quality education and social justice encourage the union to transcend a dialectic construction of the paradox. The realities of internal and external pressures lead to dynamic shifts in emphasis between basic, short-term interests and long-term, higher order interests, and make it difficult for the union to permanently transcend current constructions of the paradox. Threats from the provincial government during the. 1990s caused the union to focus" on basic, short-term self-interests.